The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-01-25
THE CAPITOL.
His Excellency, the Governor,
Expresses His Opinion of the
Dilapidated Structure.
He INDUCES i'm Little Satire
It is Unhealthy For Legisla-
tors But Good Enough
For Clerks.

Governor Marmaduke at the ur.
gent solicitation of the ladies Of the
capitol, has addressed the state legis.
iature in regard to the necessity of a
better assembly building. His ex-
cellency says:
"The observation and experience
furnished by two years occupancy OF
an Office in our capitol building has
impressed me with the Importance, OF
rather the necessity, of improving and
adding TO this building. / do not
need to argue to you, gentlemen, that
the hall for the house ofthe represen-
tatives is entirely inadequte and un-
suited to the proper accommodation
Of the body which occupies it. 1t is
not only much too small, but it is de-
fcient in provisions for both heating
and ventilating it, that it is positively
dangerous to the health of a man to
undertake to serve a term in that
house. This fact has been remarked
for years. No one, who is in situa-
ton to know, will doubt that better
hall can be and should be provided.
While probably not SO apparent to you,
gentlemen, yet it is equally as true,
that at least four of the Office rooms
in this building are wholly inadegute
to the security of the records, or the
proper and convenient conduct of the
business in them. | refer to the
Offices occupied by the secretary of
state, state auditor, state treasurer
and superintendent ofschools.
THE GOVERNORS OFFICE is CoMFoRTA-
and amply sufficient for it's purpose.
imagine there can be but little differ
ence of opinion as to whether or not
these things are true or whether the
Improvements are needed.
The questions which present the
only difficulty in the premises are
when and how the deficiency shall be
provided for
My opinion is clear that the delay
has been too long already. The ex-
penss involved in the Improvements
under discussion should be incurred
only because necessary and right. If,
for such reasons the objection rests
upon the state it ought TO be met as
other obligations are met as soon after
demand or notice as the resources of
the treasury will admit. Both these
conditions obtain at present.
TWO WAYS OF MEETING THIS o BLIGA-
TION
have been fully discussed by our citi-
zens for several years past. One is to
erect an entirely new building here or
elsewhere, the other is to alter and add
to this building. l prefer and recon-.
mend the latter plan for several reasons
No more of the peoples money should
be expended for such purposes than is
necessary to provide safe, commo-
dious and durable edifice. This con-
sideration indicates that use should be
made of all the available material
now on hand. The building We now
occupy is substantially and symetri-
cally built, and every part of it can
be economically adapted 10 and used
for the accommodation Of other off
GERS who need less room, and for the
committees of the general assembly.
COMPETENT AND wELL-INFoRMED AR
CHITECTs
tell me that sufficient additions to
provide proper and commodious hall
for the house of representatives and
offices for the four officers mentioned,
with large and convenient fire-proof
vaults, can be made to this
building for about 5000, 900;
and that by remodeling the |
roof of the present structure, the archi- |
tectural effect Of the whole building |
will not be marred. IF this be true,
and | think it is, | would suggest and
recommend that you, gentlemen, APP
propriate sufficient money to make
such additions to this building, l
would also suggest and recommend
that you authorize and provide for
supplying the building with steam
heating apparatus and with water.
These matters have engaged my atten-
ton for the past two years, and | am
very confident they merit your care
full consideration and prompt action.
Very Respectfully,
JOHN S. MARMADUKE.
To Hon. j. w. Alexander,
Speaker House of Representatives.
Evidently His excellency was in a
most satirical mood when he penned
the above. He started out with the
Conservation and experience furnished |